Day Fourteen

When was the last time you had this much fun at the mall?

Day Thirteen

Rainy morning. Humid afternoon.

Todd came to my classroom and sorted and labeled all of my blocks, and trust me-you, there are a lot of blocks. I filed papers... a lot of papers... papers that should have been filed last year papers.
Things are coming together on the classroom front. Thursday I will go in and finish up as much as I can... one last haul to get ready. One week to go.
I spent the afternoon quilting for baby Joey, reading, and playing photographer for Todd's dirt bikes. The track he has made across the street with many hours of sweat makes a fine place to take his picture and the camera is so slow it makes him look really fast.

Day Twelve

Rainy Day Quilting

Dylan's Quilt

Riley's Quilt

I worked on two quilting projects today, but they need to be surprises. So instead, I thought I'd post a few past projects. My favorites are the ones that I know get used.

Willy's Quilt at Play

Aiden's Quilt

Day Eleven

Mundane Happenings

Relaxing Saturday, sunny and breezy. Todd went kayaking and I finished up the cleaning and then read the rest of Bridge to Terebithia laying on a blanket in the sun. We have new windchimes and I was laying under the silverware enjoying its music. Cried straight through the last three chapters, sobbing crying. Tears running down my face crying. Good story.
I also watched two movies this week-end, Racing Stripes (very bad, but about what I expected and it entertained Willy a bit) and Born into Brothels. This movie was moving and a bit overwhelming. Recommended. A documentary about the Red District in Sonagchi, Calcutta through the eyes of children with cameras. Powerful. I was also happy that the seeds that I planted have finally begun to bloom. I have my first sunflower. Maybe next summer I will be brave enough to venture a garden, but this year, it was experimental flowers.

Day Ten

Willy's World:

After practicing to call froggies saying "Here, froggy" as they walk through the woods...
Mom: "Willy, what do we say when we want a froggy?"
Willy: "Please?"

After dinner...
Mom: "Willy, do you like eggs for breakfast?"
Willy: "da" (yes)
Mom: "What do you like on your eggs?"
Willy: "poop".

This is all before he decided to freak himself out by pooping in the tub during bathtime. I never heard him scream so loud.

Day Nine

Yesterday I drove over to Wakefield to visit Alison, who is home from Louisiana for the week to go to a wedding. For those of you missing the connection, Al is a friend from grade school who married the brother of one of my ex's. I spent the day at that said ex's parents' house... They were nice but refused to speak his name in my presence. It was comical, actually.

We drove to Salem to take a walk around and see the ocean. It's a pretty neat and trollish city. (Kevin you should go for Trollspotting purposes.) Then Al took me to lunch at Chili's (thanks, again, Al.) They don't have rasberry iced tea anymore, but we ate fajitas and I was happy.
It was a fun, fun visit with Alison and her baby is even more amazing. How fun to watch these kids grow... and she is truly bigger every time I see her. She was loving her butt cream. Can you believe this beautiful face?

Day Eight

Yesterday Auntie Em got to babysit for Baby Margaret. She decided that the morning was about convincing Uncle Todd and Auntie Em that she did not want any cousins. She was alseep when she got here but woke up before Mom even drove away.

It took a long walk to get her back to sleep and I couldn't talk or stop moving. Once she did get back to sleep, a sneeze from Uncle Todd had her wailing again. Back to walking.

Once Mommy got back she was rested and full of smiles though. She was a very good quilt model.

Day Seven

I am living in a comminuty where I never dreamed I would end up.
Observed examples:
1. Down the road there is a large gallon size bottle laying on the side of the road. It is half filled with a dark yellow liquid that I am sure is urine. One half gallon of urine.
Imagine this only WAY huger.

2. Sunday we drove past a sign selling cattle skulls. As artsy as this sounds...

3. The local catholic church has a sign out front that reads "Going to mass is cool!" I am not convinced.

4. I often feel I should keep track of redneck moments... like when the trailer down the road used old crutches to hold up their mailbox. It stayed that way for months, duck tape and crutches.

Day Six

Yesterday was an incredibly fun day. Maggie exploded her diaper on me and Willy regraded our driveway (he likes rocks.) After giving the babies their present we sat down to an incredible lunch of enchiladas that Todd helped me prepare. The chicken made me nauseous, but once that was cooked and hidden, I did okay. I would truly be a veg if I had to cook my own meat.


We got to have another family nap before a nice dinner with my mom (just leftover stir fry in yummy peanut sauce) before heading to Albany for a night on the town.
At the Pepsi Arena we partied down with an arena full of women as old as your grandma. Neil put on a great show making women throughout the crowd scream and pant. It was truly a partying crowd and I wonder now if they ever got to bed last night. Some I wonder if they made it that far. There were a few close to heart attacks after climbing three flights of stairs (the escalators were off.) They were clutching their chests and tightly gripped.


I wish them all good health and happy dreams of Neil Diamond.

Day Five and a Half

I was very excited to finally give Baby Maggie her quilt today. Willy was the entrusted present opener so he got a few fun things, too.

This little one needed some pink.

She also needed a few flowers.

That smile is proof.

Day Five

I am acutely aware that when I go back to work my posts will be: a. much less frequent and b. much less interesting.

For now however, I can post about a fun adventure to ART OMI in Ghent, New York. This is a very cool retreat for artists and also an outdoor field of unbelievable, and perhaps a bit bizarre, artwork.



It was hot and muggy and I was swarmed by insects (I'm talking up my nose insects), but who doesn't appreciate modern art that they can't understand?

This is me photographing a large pushpin, oddly enough, entitled "pushpin".

Day Four

A nice quiet day yesterday with naps all around. We went to the farmer's market and ate corn on the cob and bought fresh fruits. Then the family went to the Pittsfield Greek festival. Men walking around with "got gyro?" t-shirts. Good, good food. Cranky Willy eating a hot dog (not greek as far as I know.) But yummy gyros and baklava. We went back over for dinner at mom and dad's later and Willy got naked and did some jumping and dancing and spinning for us. Auntie Em got bath time fun and washed all the beets off. Bath time is my favorite.

On another note, nap time was enough time to work on my newest project. Baby Joey is getting a quilt. But don't show him the picture, Nina, I don't want to spoil the surprise. I am officially in the sewing stage.

Day Three

Here are our goals.
Mine read:
1. Conquer anxiety when kayaking. This is the one that I have been working the hardest on. I have now taken two clinics. An intermediate for 5 days in Ottawa and a river rolling class for two days with the Boston AMC. Both excellent courses, but neither could get in my head. My skills are increasing and very slowly pushing back the anxiety.
2. Keep in touch better. Now my friends are reading this so I have to be honest... but I think I am doing pretty well on this front. I still often miss them and wish they were just across the hall of a dorm, but the touch is definitely better. This blog hopes to meet that goal a bit too. I love reading about their lives and now they can read about mine, too.
3. Take swimming lessons. Well, I am not there yet on this one. I still would like to become a beter swimmer, but it has not been a financial priority. Perhaps this fall and winter when I am back at the gym this will creep back in. I hope to increase this skill and work towards an eventual triathalon... again, I need the money for a bike.
4. Laugh more. Well, the better touch I keep, the more I laugh. I am trying to laugh at myself, maybe laugh at you... and we can laugh together. Laughing heals my soul.
I have to say that Nina and Kevin have both done well, too. I love you guys.

Day Two and Three Quarters

I could not resist posting these pictures of husband Todd with each baby at about the same age. Does it get any better than this? I love it.

Day Two and a Half

Today the prince and princess came to town.
We played at Oma's, napped together (with sleeping Maggie in Auntie Em's arms), ate dinner and had ice cream (I plese=Willy's ice cream).


Maggie is laughing and smiling and is all muscles. Willy is jumping and throwing and kicking... and his vocabulary is growing. But no, he won't say Massachusetts no matter how many times you ask.

Day Two

What better addition to a blog than the worst picture of you ever taken.
Its me on the right. My sister, sarah, is on the left.
She is coming to town today and bringing her two little slices of heaven. I can't wait for some quality baby time!

Day One

I spent the day in my classroom setting up for the school year. I am a teacher. I am a student. I feel like a little kid getting ready for the first day of school. The leaves are sadly starting to fall. Does it always happen so fast and so early? I am not quite ready for summer to end.
I have enjoyed my play time sitting on our open porch drinking coffee and reading children's books that have won Newberry Metals. I am on my fourth book in four days. I read Because of Winn Dixie and cried after only one chapter. I read Hatchet and couldn't put it down. It made me want to get lost in the woods for a while. I read Number the Stars and didn't cry until the last chapter. Now I am reading Missing May and so far have not shed any tears. Its satisfiying. Its good reading.
I went to NYC last week for a Yankees game and a walk through Central Park. I was very impressed with myself when I was able to locate a restaurant where Kevin and I ate last summer.
I have kayaked as much as I could to meet a goal that I set for myself this year. I set alot... I don't remember the others. This goal is almost met. I'll have to test it on the river.

I also reconnected with an old friend after... 15 years. It was a great visit and surprising that we are such like-minded people after so long. It was fabulous. We hiked. We swam in our underwear with my dog. We laughed. We ate fresh fruits and veggies. It reminds me just how far I've come, how much I've grown, and to appreciate what a great life I have going for me right now. Even as an adult.